The European Commission has approved privately-owned holding company Haniel’s move to take sole control of Metro Group, Germany’s biggest retailer.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Haniel already holds a large stake in Metro and will now acquire full control through a pooling arrangement with fellow shareholder Schmidt-Ruthenbeck.


The European Commission’s competition authority said that the deal would not harm competition in athe European economic area.


Haniel is a family-owned business, active worldwide in a variety of industries, in particular trading raw materials for the steel industry, the production of construction materials and the wholesale of pharmaceutical products, textile and washroom hygiene services.


“The Commission’s investigation found that the overlap of activities between Haniel and Metro is small and concerns the sale of professional clothing,” the Commission said in a statement yesterday (9 October).

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

A spokesperson for Metro told just-food that it is “business as usual” for the retailer but declined to comment further on the deal.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact